How Thunder Bay riders can make their bikes harder to steal this season

Thunder Bay – LIVING – As bike season gets underway in Thunder Bay, riders should plan for a tougher theft environment than in years past. Battery-powered angle grinders have changed the game for urban bike theft, and lock makers now openly acknowledge that no lock is truly uncuttable.

The goal is no longer to find a “perfect” lock. It is to make your bike the hardest, loudest and slowest target on the rack.

Start with the right kind of lock

For most riders, the best first lock is still a high-quality hardened U-lock. Bike Index says cable locks should never be the primary way to secure a bike in a city, and advises riders to aim to have the hardest bike to steal on the rack. That fits the current reality: even so-called grinder-resistant locks are designed to delay and deter an attack, not make theft impossible.

A heavy chain lock is the next step up for riders who leave bikes outside for longer periods or lock up expensive e-bikes. Chains are heavier and less convenient to carry, but they add another layer and can make a thief’s job slower and messier. Cable locks still have a role, but mainly as a secondary lock to secure a wheel or accessories after the frame has been locked with a U-lock or chain.

Good lock options Thunder Bay riders can buy locally

Fresh Air Experience, at 710 Balmoral St., currently lists Kryptonite U-locks including the Keeper Standard and the higher-security New York Lock Long Shackle, along with OnGuard options in its online lock inventory. For riders who want a traditional hardened U-lock from a well-known brand, that is a strong local starting point.

3Ride, inside Goods & Co. Market at 251 Red River Rd., Unit 25, has one of the broader online lock selections in the city. The current listings include the Kryptonite Evolution STD U-lock, Kryptonite New York Standard U-lock, ABUS Granite Plus 470 U-lock, ABUS 440A Alarm U-lock, Kryptonite Keeper 712 chain lock and OnGuard Mastiff chain lock.

That gives riders a useful range from commuter-grade U-locks to heavier chain and alarmed options.

Rollin’ Thunder Bike & Ski, at 485 Memorial Ave., also lists bike security products online, including the OnGuard Bulldog LS U-lock and ABUS U-lock and chain options. Riders who want to compare a few lock styles in person can add it to the local shopping list.

It is very worth, for aspiring cyclists to mention Community Spokes, at 303 Simpson St., is not a big-box retail shop, but it is a useful local resource for riders on a budget. The shop offers free DIY bike repair help, affordable used parts and access to new parts through a Canadian distributor.

For riders fixing up an older bike or trying to improve security without overspending, it is worth knowing about.

How to lock the bike properly

The lock matters, but technique matters too. Bike Index says indoor storage is safest whenever possible and warns riders not to assume a common-area garage or apartment storage room is secure.

If you must park outside, lock the frame to something fixed and solid, add a second lock when practical and remove lights, bags and other quick-grab accessories.

For Thunder Bay riders, that means matching the lock to the stop. A quick coffee stop may call for one strong U-lock. A workday downtown, at the waterfront or outside a gym is the kind of situation where a U-lock plus a chain or secondary cable makes more sense.

Overnight sidewalk parking is the highest-risk option and should be avoided where possible.

Where the Aventon Aventure 3 fits in

For riders looking at newer e-bikes, the Aventon Aventure 3 adds some useful built-in anti-theft features. Aventon says the bike includes 4G and GPS capabilities through its ACU system, along with an integrated rear wheel lock that can be controlled through the Aventon app or directly on the bike display. The company says the rear wheel lock immobilizes the bike when parked, making a quick ride-away theft harder.

Aventon also says certain connected theft-related features require a 4G data connection, with the first year included from the date of service registration. Those features include GPS location, lost-bike reporting, remote shutdown and geofencing. In practical terms, that means an Aventure 3 can help an owner detect movement sooner and potentially track the bike after a theft, which can make it less attractive to an opportunistic thief.

But smart features are not a substitute for a real lock. The stronger reading is that the Aventure 3 gives riders an extra layer of deterrence, especially against a thief looking for an easy roll-away target.

It does not change the basics: the bike still needs to be locked to a fixed object with a serious lock in a visible place.

What Thunder Bay cyclists should do now

The practical playbook is simple. Buy a hardened U-lock or heavy chain from a local shop such as Fresh Air Experience, 3Ride or Rollin’ Thunder.

Use a cable only as a backup, not the main defence. Store the bike indoors whenever possible.

Photograph the bike, record the serial number and remove accessories when parked. And if you are riding a connected e-bike such as the Aventon Aventure 3, turn on every security feature available — but still lock it like the thief already owns a grinder.

Editor’s Note: My Aventon Adventure was recently stolen. The thieves used an angle grinder to cut the lock. With the tracking app and with the professionalism of Thunder Bay Police officers, it was recovered.